My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter One: Carli

I'm sitting in the corner of the room, nose buried in a book, when he walks in. I don't hear him for a good five minutes; music is blasting from my headphones and it's just getting to the good part in this romance novel I'm reading. Not something I would read in my own house or out in public, but Jessie has a pretty big collection and I'm all alone here, so I figured, what the hell.

I feel a flush start to creep up my cheeks as my eyes devour the words on the page. My mind is racing and I feel my pulse quicken. That's when I hear a cough from behind me. Immediately I slam the book closed and whip my head around to scout the exits.

SHIT. If this is someone here to rob the place, I'm dead meat. Although, I'm still distracted by that book, and a hot young thief doesn't sound like such a bad idea. But the person standing before me is  so much worse than any burglar. 

Darren's back? What the actual fuck!? I am instantly transported back to a childhood spent in these halls, Darren chasing after me through the garden while Jessie played dress-up with her mom's makeup. I was Darren's friend first, Jessie's later. Later, when he met Imogen. Later, when it seemed like he had forgotten I ever existed. 

And here I am, standing gawking at him like an idiot. He hasn't changed since I last saw him; my eyes rake over his chiselled chest and broad shoulders, his thin white t-shirt leaving very little to the imagination. I realise I've been staring at his abs, almost bursting from the fabric, and snap my gaze upwards to meet his deep brown eyes, nestled beneath striking eyebrows and a mess of curly dark hair. 

It's obvious that he know's I was staring, but his expression is not what I expected. Instead of amusement, I am met with surprise, embarrassment, and something else that I can't quite place. With a jolt, I  realise that he's been checking me out too. That really throws me;  he's always known about my little crush on him, but he's never... reciprocated. 

I pull my cardigan tighter around my body, and smile at him shyly. Neither of us knows what to say. I mean, what do you talk about with someone you haven't seen in over a year? God, Carli. Ask him about college, for fuck's sake. Just stop ogling him like some sort of pervert.

I open my mouth to heed my own advice, but as I do so he takes a decisive step towards me. Up close, I can see just how much taller he is than me; I've always been short, but I never noticed Darren's height. Now, though, the thought over him towering over me sends a thrill throughout my body. 

"Hey, Carli", He starts with a smirk that makes me feel a little tipsy. Yep. That's the old Darren. "You've changed,  I almost didn't recognise you". He takes his time looking me up and down, pausing at my chest and then again when his eyes reach my lips. It's only now that I notice I'm biting them. "God, you know, you're gonna have to be careful in College. Boys will be drooling all over you". His smirk deepens, and I notice it again - the look in his eyes that I can't quite make out, stronger this time, more confident.

It takes me a significant amount of time to form a coherent thought. I look away from him, bashful, and I suddenly remember that he's not supposed to be here. Almost immediately, I fall back into the teasing banter that always came so easily to us.

"Darren, aren't you supposed to be partying with your sister on a yacht in the South of France?" I take a step closer to him, "What good is Daddy's money if you're gonna waste it sitting around at home all summer?" The family was supposed to be gone until the end of August, and I was making an insane amount for housesitting their McMansion. Although now that Darren's home, I guess I won't be needed anymore. Fuck. 

Darren, taking our little game a step further, inches closer to me, "I wouldn't consider spending time here with you 'wasting' money, Carli. On the contrary, I think of it as good business sense". He leans in, so his eyes are level with mine and his lips are almost at my ear. "Right now, you're a pretty great investment". 

I shudder as I feel his warm breath on the side of my face, but refuse to move. God, how did I get myself in this position in such a short time? I felt like a character in the novel I had been reading. But two could play this game. 

I put on my best innocent little smile and cock my head at him. "But Darren", I say sweetly, "Now that you're back, why would I need to stay? I might as well go on home, and I doubt I'd be seeing you much in our neck of the woods". At this he does a double-take; it's true, my parents and I live in the rougher part of town. But I don't think I've ever acknowledged that in front of him. 

He chuckles softly, and moves back a little; I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding. "Damn, Carli, you never did make things easy." He shakes his head at that. "Listen, in all seriousness, I don't want you to lose out on any money. So if you want to go home, I'm not going to stop you, but if you stay, you'll earn whatever my parents are paying you - and if the service is good, I might even give you a bonus".

I gasp quietly, immediately running my imagination through all of the possible scenarios that could earn me this 'bonus'. I feel myself becoming warm, and there's no way of hiding the blush that's creeping up my cheeks. To break the tension, Darren waggles his eyebrows, and I let out a giggle in spite of myself. He always did know how to lighten the mood. 

Grinning, he pats me on the arm. "Ok, I'll give you some time to think over your options, and I'll go have a shower. You get back to.. whatever it is you were doing". He looks pointedly at the book still in my hand. Shit, he's seen the title. 

Embarrassed, I am once again absentmindedly gnawing a whole through my bottom lip. Darren looks at me, a conflict of emotions crossing over his features, and swiftly reaches his hand out to pull my lip from my teeth. His thumb brushes over my lip as his hand cups my chin, and I feel the tension build. His fingers stroke over my face, and for a moment it looks as though he's about to lean in and kiss me; but he just winks, takes his hand away and leaves the room in three powerful strides.

I watch him leave, and collapse in a puddle back into my armchair. Heat builds in my body as I feel the ghost of his touch still on my lips. Well, one thing's for sure. This will be an interesting month.